How to communicate with job candidates before, during, and after interviews

Maintaining regular communication with interview candidates is crucial for fostering a positive and engaging experience. Without this, candidates may be disconnected from the interview process, feel undervalued, or lose interest in the role.

But knowing how to communicate with candidates while fielding common problems, like last-minute cancellations, can be tough. Don’t worry – we can help.

This handy guide on how to communicate with candidates before, during, and after interviews contains tons of helpful guidance and top tips.

Ready to get started? Let’s dive in.

Problems associated with communication during the hiring process

Watch out for these common pitfalls when communicating with candidates.

Last-minute cancellations

Trying to find a time that works for both candidates and interviewers is tough, and last-minute cancellations are common.

Companies that don’t demonstrate empathy and understanding when handling excusable last-minute cancellations can discourage candidates from reapplying or recommending the company to others in the future. Worse, companies that cancel interviews at the last minute can frustrate candidates and cause them to reconsider their applications.

Inconsistent communication with candidates

People hiring for multiple roles across different departments may struggle to maintain consistent communication with all candidates. Leaving candidates in the dark about their application creates uncertainty, frustration, and a sense of disconnection. This erodes the applicant’s trust in your process – and may even result in them not wanting to work for you anymore.

A slow interview process

Interviewing candidates and finding the right person for the role can take time.

Unfortunately, a slow interview process is frustrating for candidates. It can cause them to lose interest, question an organization’s commitment, and even accept offers from other companies.

Ghosting

Ghosting happens when there’s an unexplained and permanent lack of communication from either the candidate or the employer. This can occur at any stage of the hiring process.

Candidates who experience ghosting often feel disrespected and undervalued, leading to a negative perception of the employer. Equally, hiring managers won’t forget the names of  candidates who ghost them after interviews and likely won’t consider them for future roles.

Mishandled rejection

How an organization communicates rejection is crucial in shaping a candidate’s perception and maintaining a positive employer brand. Companies that don’t communicate rejection with care risk damaging their reputation and missing out on future opportunities with talented individuals.

How to communicate with candidates before interviews

Pre-interview communication sets the tone. It’s the perfect time to relay information, answer candidates’ questions, and establish a rapport.

Acknowledge each application

Most applicant tracking systems will automatically acknowledge a candidate’s application. If yours doesn’t, be sure to acknowledge each application with a personal email. It’s the first step in crafting a positive candidate experience and lets candidates know their resume is on your radar.

Invite your candidate to complete talent assessments

Talent assessments are a great way to determine which candidates have the skills to do your job. What’s more: they can facilitate the communication process by providing a structure to follow when communicating with candidates before interviews.

Many companies like to invite candidates to take assessments right after they apply. If you do this, consider sending an email like this:

“Thank you for your interest in the [role]. We’re impressed with your qualifications and would like to understand your skills and fit for this position better. Could you please complete [assessment] by [date]? This will help us move forward in the recruitment process.”

Consider explaining which skills you hope to assess, how they relate to the role, and how long the assessment should take.

After learning the assessment results, you might send out either of the following emails:

Option 1:

“Thank you for completing the assessment. We appreciate the time and effort you put into this process. After careful consideration, we’ve decided to move forward with other candidates whose skills more closely align with the [role]. We wish you the best in your future endeavors and will keep your profile on file for potential future opportunities.”

Option 2:

“Congratulations on successfully completing the assessment! Your results were impressive, and we’re excited to learn more about you. We’d like to invite you to a formal interview to discuss your potential fit for the [role] in more detail. Please let us know your availability through [date range] so we can schedule a meeting.”

Confirm interview date, time, and location

When a candidate has been shortlisted for an interview, confirm the formal interview. Consider interviewing any candidates who scored in the top 10% of your assessments.

Ensure your candidates know when and where they’re meeting the interviewer. You can also run through parking information, dress code guidance, and any information they’ll need to gain access to the building.

If the interview is a video interview, ensure your candidates know the platform you’re using, and provide them with any necessary login details or links well in advance. Consider sharing best practices for video interviews, such as checking the internet connection, ensuring a quiet and well-lit environment, and testing audio and video equipment beforehand. Make a plan for dealing with any technical issues that may arise.

Clarify whether they need any adjustments

You have a legal requirement to make reasonable accommodations to the interview process for anyone with a disability. For example, if a candidate uses a wheelchair, they may need to use a side door or require support to gain building access.

You should also make considerations for non-physical disabilities. Between 5% and 15% of Americans have dyslexia, so be prepared to make reasonable adjustments for those candidates. This might include providing interview materials on colored paper or using fonts with better readability, like Arial or Comic Sans.

Clarify whether candidates need or want such adjustments before the interview so you can be prepared.

How to communicate with candidates during interviews

Try implementing these tips to ensure a fair and relaxed interview process.

Encourage a two-way conversation

An interview is as much an opportunity for the candidate to learn about your business as it is for you to learn about them. Encourage your candidate to ask questions throughout the interview. This can help them feel more relaxed and like an equal contributor.

Be clear (and be prepared to clarify)

Ensure your interview questions are clear and focused. For example, avoid asking two questions at once or using confusing language. Instead, break down complex questions into simpler, more straightforward components.

Be prepared to ask your interview questions in different ways and provide examples where necessary. Some candidates, especially those who are neurodiverse or have communication styles that differ from yours, may interpret or respond to questions differently. Adapting your approach ensures a fair and inclusive interview process.

Be friendly and professional

Interviews can be stressful. The interviewer’s tone play a crucial role in easing candidate stress and crafting a positive interview process.

Keep your tone light and friendly. Offer reassurance where appropriate and offer the candidate a short break if they become flustered.

Confirm next steps

Let your candidate know when you’ll be in touch with the outcome of the interview. For example, can they expect to hear from you by the end of the day, the end of the week, or longer? Letting a candidate know what to expect reduces anxiety.

How to communicate with job candidates after interviews

How you communicate with candidates after the interview will depend on whether they’ve been successful or not and what the next steps are. Let’s assume the next step is making a hire.

Successful candidates

Here’s how to let candidates know they’ve been successful.

How to tell them

Offering someone a job over the phone enables you to give personal congratulations. This method might be fitting if the role involves significant in-person interaction or office presence. However, emailing job offers is also very common and effective, especially since this provides a detailed record of the offer and enables the candidate to process the information at their own pace.

The choice between calling and emailing can depend on the nature of the job, your company culture, and the preferences of the candidate, if known. For example, for remote roles where face-to-face contact is already limited, an email might suffice.

What to tell them

If you’re not sure what to say, try following the below structure:

• Tell them your name and the business you work for.
• Ask if now is a good time to talk. After all, they may be at their current workplace.
• Clarify that you’re calling about their recent interview.
• Tell them you’d like to offer them the position.
• Ask if they’d like to accept the role. If the candidate accepts on the spot – great. However, if they need a little time to think, that’s fine, too.
• If they decline the offer, accept their choice with professionalism.
• Congratulate them either way.

If they accept immediately:

• Clarify the next steps. For example, do you need any documentation? Let them know when they can expect their offer letter or contract of employment.
• Follow up with an email confirming your position.

If they need some time to think:

• Agree on a follow-up time. Giving a candidate five working days to consider their position is reasonable.

When to tell them

Tell successful candidates before sending rejections in case they decline your offer. You should contact them as soon as possible.

Unsuccessful candidates

Follow these steps to let the candidate down gently.

How to tell them

Most companies email candidates to let them know they’ve been unsuccessful. This is perfectly fine for many roles. However, phoning the candidate might be a better option in certain cases, especially if the candidate was applying for a high-level role or you’ve met with them in person more than twice.

What to tell them

If there’s a clear-cut reason that someone wasn’t successful, we recommend being honest. For example, tell them if they lacked a desired qualification or if their interview answers didn’t include enough detail.

However, if they weren’t successful because their values didn’t align with the organization’s, communicate this information delicately. In such cases, keep the feedback high-level rather than focusing on personal shortcomings. This maintains a respectful tone and spares the candidate’s feelings.

Consider saying things like, “You weren’t quite the right fit for this role. However, we’d love to see you apply again in the future and we thank you for your interest in our company.” This leaves the door open for future applications and maintains a positive connection with the candidate.

When to tell them

As soon as the successful candidate has confirmed the role, you should let the unsuccessful candidates know.

Try not to reject a candidate at the beginning of the day or on a Friday afternoon. Although you aren’t responsible for a candidate’s response to the rejection, being mindful of its timing is courteous. Try letting them know midweek or mid-day, wherever possible.

Just don’t ghost them – It’s rude, unnecessary, and unprofessional. Providing closure and feedback contributes to a respectful and transparent candidate experience.

Best practices when communicating with Job candidates

Here are some top tips for communicating with candidates.

Ensure consistent communication

Try setting time aside from your regular workplace communication schedule to contact each candidate group. Dedicating specific time to each group will help you keep on top of communication and maintain a positive rapport throughout the hiring process.

If there are ever delays in your process, let the candidate know as soon as possible. For example, say you let a candidate know they can expect to hear whether you’ve chosen to hire them within a week of their interview. However, the date arrives, and you still haven’t determined if they’re your top pick. Send an email to let them know you’re still deliberating and give them a new time to expect an update.

Handle last-minute cancellations with professionalism

You should allow candidates who can’t attend the first interview time due to emergencies to reschedule at least once. If possible, give them a few options for a secondary time and date. This will give them some flexibility in case their issues are ongoing.

For example, send an email that says:

Hi [Name]

I’m sorry you weren’t able to attend our scheduled interview. Thank you for letting me know in advance.

Do any of the following times work for you for a rescheduled interview?

[Option 1 – Date and Time]

[Option 2 – Date and Time]

[Option 3 – Date and Time]

Alternatively, please let us know your preferred time, and we’ll do our best to accommodate. 

Kind regards,

[Your Name]

Use technology to improve the process of communication with job candidates

Try using relevant technology to speed up the interview process. For example, when you’re struggling to meet with candidates in person, consider video interviews.

Candidate communication checklist

Use the following checklist to ensure fair and consistent communications with candidates throughout the interview process.

Before the interview:

• Acknowledge the application
• Invite candidate to complete talent assessments
• Schedule an interview time
• Check for reasonable adjustments

During the interview:

• Encourage a two-way conversation
• Be clear and provide clarifications
• Be friendly and professional
• Confirm next steps

After the interview:

• Inform successful candidate
• Confirm start date
• Inform unsuccessful candidates